I had barely taken a few limping steps when Lasin appeared behind me.
"Wait," she called out.
I did not even turn around. I just kept walking. She grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me back toward her.
"You're hurt. If you keep this up, it'll only get worse. It could get infected."
My wounds had nearly closed, so I was no longer in immediate danger, but that did not mean I was free of pain.
"You're not going anywhere like this. Let Jurian treat you," she said, and there was a quiet plea in her voice.
I knew she was right. I had no idea where I would even go. It was almost impossible to leave the city while it was surrounded by the Imperial army.
"All right. I'll stay here. But Jurian is not coming anywhere near me," I said seriously.
She nodded.
I limped to a nearby chair and sat down. Leaning back against it felt almost pleasant. My muscles could finally rest. Breias and Finra were probably dead, or unconscious. I hoped it was the second.
Doctors arrived in the building and immediately started treating the wounded. Meanwhile, Jurian used his magic to heal Breias and Finra.
I could not forgive him for behaving like a complete idiot.
Then I heard footsteps. I lifted my head and looked at the person walking toward me.
It was Markus.
I nearly jumped out of my skin.
What could someone like him possibly want from me?
He stopped a few feet away.
"Lie down. I'll at least close your wounds before the doctors get to you."
Carefully, I got up and lay down on the ground. I took off my leather armor. Markus paused when he saw the scars across my body. On top of that, I was covered in fresh and dried blood, and the two large wounds across my torso nearly met.
"Almost everyone here would already be dead after something like that," he said.
He placed his hands on my chest and began to heal me.
"Ow," I hissed through my teeth.
"I only know the basics," he said calmly. "But it'll be better than nothing."
"Aren't you supposed to be on the walls preparing for the siege?" I asked once the pain eased a little.
"Lasin sent me word last night that something was happening," he replied. "So I took a few men and went to check it out. We were too late."
I frowned.
"The cult leader said they were planning to attack from inside and outside at the same time," I added.
Markus stopped healing and folded his arms thoughtfully.
"And he just told you that?" he asked.
"I suppose he was sure he was going to beat us."
Markus stood up.
"Hm. Interesting," he muttered. "I'll send someone to report it."
With that, he walked off toward the group of soldiers.
Thanks to Markus, the pain had eased somewhat, but I had lost a lot of blood. From the pain in my chest and side, I guessed I had several broken ribs as well. What little strength I had left was gone, and my muscles had stiffened. Even if I had wanted to, I would not have been able to stand.
Why had Jurian acted the way he did?
That question kept circling through my head.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Lasin speaking with Azi and Jurian. She looked nervous, but at the same time more relaxed than before. She noticed me looking, said something to Jurian, and came over.
Her expression shifted, but I could not tell what feeling it belonged to.
I braced myself with my hands and tried to sit up. It was difficult, but I managed. I had taken more injuries today than I had in an entire year.
I leaned back against the stone wall.
Lasin let out a long sigh.
"How is it possible that you're still alive?" she asked quietly, sitting down beside me.
She was exhausted too, but she did not look seriously injured.
"I guess I'm lucky," I tried to laugh, but my broken ribs stopped me immediately.
"If you weren't talking, I'd say you were a corpse no one could help," she muttered.
She looked at the floor for a moment.
"Next time, don't take risks like that. Leave it to the stronger ones, all right?"
What I had done had been the only option. Lasin had wanted to do the same, but she had not gotten close enough.
"How are Breias and Finra?" I asked, trying to change the subject.
"They're both alive," she said. "They have some serious injuries, but Jurian says they'll be all right."
She fell silent for a moment.
"A week ago, I was ready to die," she said quietly. "But now I'm not. What changed?"
I had no answer for that.
"For many years, I thought it would be better if I weren't alive," I said. "But I never managed to make myself use that dagger on myself."
Lasin looked at me in surprise. She wanted to say something, but in the end she only closed her mouth again.
A few moments later, healers came and finished treating my wounds. The pain remained, but thanks to their magic, I could move again, even if they strongly advised against it.
Breias and Finra had woken up by then.
Jurian might have acted like an idiot, but his healing ability surpassed every healer in the room.
Lasin stayed with me the whole time. Jurian and Azi kept their distance. Jurian had clearly understood that coming near me was not a good idea.
About an hour passed. Lasin and I slept through most of it. The rest we spent talking and passing the time with small things. Her mood slowly began to improve.
The soldiers had already left. Only Markus remained.
Many of the wounded had been carried away as well. Around thirty of us were left.
"Do you know what happened with Bruno?" I asked Markus.
"Before we could get anything out of him, he took hidden poison and died," he replied bitterly.
We had gone through all of that... and in the end, learned nothing.
Lasin tried not to show it, but I saw her lower her gaze to the ground again.
"What about the siege?" I asked.
"They're cutting down trees and preparing siege engines," Markus replied.
"How many are there?" I asked. "And what are our chances of surviving?"
Markus took a deep breath.
That was not good.
"There are three legions," he said. "Two regular ones. But the third... the third crushed the uprising in Detruisia."
My breath caught.
"So around seven thousand men," he added. "Against a thousand mercenaries and recruits... and two hundred experienced soldiers."
Among them were the Lraetorians.
Swords of death.
Just a handful of them were enough to break an entire unit of eighty soldiers.
Markus noticed my reaction.
"Have you met them before?"
"No. I've only heard of them."
Lasin straightened.
"Is there no way to escape?" she asked.
"We're completely surrounded," Markus replied. "But there is a hidden tunnel."
He paused.
"Though it's possible they know about it."
Silence settled over the room.
"Would you take us there?" I asked at last.
Markus looked at me.
"Those who are still able to fight should not abandon the city. They would be branded deserters."
"And probably executed," he added.
"We will be anyway if we stay and face the Lraetorians," I argued. "At least this way we'll have time to prepare."
Markus was silent for a moment.
"How many of you are there?"
There were around thirty people left in the room, including us, Markus, and the healers. Most of them were still injured.
"Twenty five," I replied. "You could come with us. And the rest of the healers too."
"I have to refuse," he said. "But thank you."
He was silent for a moment.
"Then go prepare yourselves. We'll meet here again in an hour."
I stood up and walked to the middle of the room.
"Anyone who can still move and wants to escape the siege has half an hour to gather supplies. We meet back here."
Many people struggled to their feet and headed off.
Lasin came over to me.
"We have some supplies in the storage room. Anyone with free hands should carry as much as they can."
The first fifteen minutes of preparation went smoothly.
Then a great bell rang out.
Markus lifted his head.
"The first phase of the attack has begun," he announced.
"We have to leave early."
Most of them could barely stand. Hopefully we would still make it.
I had no ties to those people. I could have left them behind.
And yet something inside me told me this was the right choice.
Those in the worst shape, like Breias and Finra, leaned on the others.
Lasin moved to the front of the group.
"We're leaving."
And with that, we set out.